When considering what she would study after graduating high school, Karissa Richards said she was inspired by her everyday routine.
“I knew that I wanted to be in a STEM field, but between the options that were presented to me — medicine and engineering — nothing appealed to me the way they did to my friends,” Richards said. “However, I have always been interested in personal care products. Within my friend group, it was an everyday thing to discuss the fragrances and other products that I would use.
CELEBRATING SUCCESS: UToledo recognizes the Class of 2025 with a series of stories featuring students receiving their degrees at spring commencement.
“That made me think — someone had to create these products that we use daily and maybe there could be a career in that,” Richards said.
After researching the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Richards found UToledo’s unique Cosmetic Science and Formulation Design Program. From her hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, Richards decided that she had follow her passion.
“Moving from everything I knew in Jamaica to pursue an education in a field that was unfamiliar to most people around me was not easy,” she said. “But the moment I discovered cosmetic science, I knew it was what I wanted to study. I could not see myself doing anything else for four years. So, I made the terrifying decision to go completely outside of my comfort zone and pursue my education here. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I have made.”
Her interest in cosmetics led her to get involved in ongoing research being led by Dr. Gabriella Baki, an associate professor of pharmaceutics and director of the undergraduate Cosmetic Science and Formulation Design Program, aimed at improving the appearance of foundations for individuals with darker skin tones.
“Reducing the ashy appearance of foundations when applied to dark skin tones has been an important issue in the cosmetics industry,” Richards said. “The aim of our project was to use ultramarine blue pigment to create foundations that are more visually appealing and suitable for people with darker skin tones.”
UToledo researchers first found that incorporating the vivid, deep blue pigment to the traditional mix of red, yellow, black and white colorants allowed for warmer, more lifelike skin tones in powder foundations.
Richards has helped expand that same concept to stick foundations.
“The goal was to evaluate and compare the effect of this pigment on the appearance of stick foundations, as opposed to powder foundations,” she said. “This comparative analysis has been an important part of the project as we are exploring the use of this blue pigment across various product forms including powders, sticks and creams.”
Karissa Richards, who will graduate Saturday as valedictorian of the bachelor of science in pharmaceutical sciences class, worked on improving foundations for individuals with darker skin tones.
Richards was given the opportunity to present her portion of the team’s findings at several events including the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Symposium, the Midwest Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC) Teamworks Event, the Michigan SCC Technical Meeting, the 2024 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Exhibition and the SCC 78th Annual Scientific Meeting and Showcase in Los Angeles.
The team’s broader findings also were prominently featured during the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Diego in March.
Baki said Richards has been passionate and involved in the research from the beginning.
“Karissa was excited to continue the work we started and branch out into a new project. She took the initiative at developing the foundation stick base with our team and refining the formulation until it met our standards,” Baki said. “Throughout her time with us, Karissa consistently demonstrated responsibility, independence and commitment to learning. It has been a privilege to be part of her academic and research journey and witness her growth over the years as both a scholar and a future professional in the field.”
Richards will graduate Saturday as valedictorian of the bachelor of science in pharmaceutical sciences class of 2025. After graduation, she will start her career at Proctor & Gamble as a quality assurance manager in the beauty care sector, which includes working with popular brands such as Old Spice and Native.
She also will be finishing her master’s degree in cosmetic science within the year through UToledo’s fully online graduate program.
“It is a huge accomplishment, one that I have not fully processed yet,” Richards said, “but it is incredibly rewarding to see that my hard work, commitment and dedication over the past four years will culminate into my achievement at graduation, making my graduation that much more meaningful.”
